Here are Europe’s best cars of the year

The European “Car of the Year” jury has been choosing the European Car of the Year since 1963. First winner 59 years ago: Rover 2000. Funded by its own foundation, the independent jury – including Blick Switzerland – has now announced their favorites for 2023 European Car of the Year.

Why isn’t a Tesla on the list? It’s pretty simple: the jury shortlists seven models from the current year’s new cars each year. Condition: These models must be available for order in at least five European countries by the end of December at the latest. For example, since Tesla has nothing new, the brand will be left out for the 2023 elections.

Surprising: The list includes not only electric cars, but also four models with petrol, hybrid or plug-in hybrid drive. And as an exception, the two models will race in one place, as they are technically very similar. And how does it continue? On January 11 and 12, 2023, jurors will extensively test seven candidates at a test site in Charleroi, Belgium. The winner of the selection at the Brussels Motor Show will be announced the next day (January 13, 2023).

And here are the shortlisted models:

Recently, the Jeep Avenger was shortlisted for selection: Just two weeks ago, Jeep’s new smallest model was put to the test for the first time. It’s only available in southern Europe with a 100 hp petrol engine, but it’s coming to Switzerland as the brand’s first electric vehicle with a 156 hp electric drive and a range of up to 400 kilometers.

One model, three drives: The new Niro is Kia’s gateway to electromobility because the hybrid drive is available as a plug-in hybrid for plug-in charging and an all-electric version. It is an ideal family car thanks to its large interior volume and good usability. It has been in stores since September.

The long-awaited Ariya is finally the next generation of electric cars from electric pioneer Nissan. The crossover is available with front or all-wheel drive, in two battery sizes and up to 306 hp. First of all, the interior surprises with touch-sensitive sensors under the seamless wood veneer – much nicer than the buttons.

The jury was only able to drive Peugeot’s new SUV coupe in November – but with its market launch in January, the five-seater will have made it to the polls in time. Drivers include a 130 hp (96 kW) petrol engine and two plug-in hybrids with 180 or 225 hp (132 or 165 kW). But the most striking aspect is its design.

The Austral is – or not – the successor to Renault’s compact SUV, the Kadjar: Unlike its predecessor, which relies very closely on collaboration partner Nissan’s Qashqai, it’s much more independent with five seats. Inside, there’s a cockpit that provides up to 200 hybrid hp (147 kW) of propulsion, just like on the Stromer Megane E-Tech Electric.

Toyota’s bZ4X and collaboration partner Subaru’s Solterra continue the two brands’ joint model development series. Same platform, but different target audience: Toyota comes with front-wheel drive or adaptive all-wheel drive and optionally fully electronic steering without a steering column, while Subaru comes with permanent all-wheel drive and a full support package.

with ID. Buzz looks at VW’s past and future. The design of the chubby-cheeked five-seater is based on VW’s original Bulli from 1950, but the drive is all-electric. In addition to the huge cargo space, which exceeds two cubic meters, there is a bright interior that VW has eliminated a few notches from its first Stromer.